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UAE budget airline flydubai is increasingly ferrying holidaymakers to exotic locations as tourism begins to resume in various markets.
When borders re-opened in the summer the first travellers were those visiting friends and relatives but now the carrier is rebuilding its leisure network and increasing frequencies on routes to locations like the Maldives.
“We initially saw our passengers travelling to see their family and friends,” said Hamad Obaidalla, chief commercial officer at flydubai. “As more countries have opened up for tourism we are now seeing more passengers travel for leisure to enjoy their first holiday of the year.”
The carrier has been steadily increasing its operations since July and now serves 44 destinations across Africa, Europe, Central Asia, the GCC and Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent.
flydubai’s first flight to the Maldives touched down in Male’ on 27 October; marking the start of an up to four-times weekly service.
Since the airline announced the new route, it has seen growing demand for flights to the Maldives and as a result it will operate daily flights, during the peak seasonal holiday period, from 17 December 2020 until 18 January 2021.
From 29 October, flydubai will operate four flights a week to Sarajevo. From 22 October, services to the Iraqi city of Najaf increased to three flights a week and flights to Erbil will increase to six flights a week from 9 November. flydubai is operating a twice-weekly service to Zanzibar.